HE 2006

Continuum Digs That Groove

Wes Phillips  |  Jun 2, 2006

Continuum has continued to refine its flagship Caliburn turntable system ($99,950). Chief among the changes are the Cobra tonearm's new shape, said to result in greater rigidity, and the Castellon stand's magnetic suspension. The Continuum system sure made a 50-year-old Moods of Gene Ammons LP sound fresh and present.

Correction: I misheard importer Chris Sommovigo when I asked him what had changed in the turntable: It's mostly the finish—the changes in tonearm and support were already incorporated in the models that have been available. The price difference reflects increases in manufacturing costs. My error—sorry for any confusion.—Wes

COMMENTS
Howell Jenkins's picture
Submitted by Howell Jenkins (not verified) on June 3, 2006 - 12:42am

I'd like to have one.

weldedplate's picture
Submitted by weldedplate (not verified) on June 2, 2006 - 9:11pm

ah.. so for the previous price of only $90K, you had a tonearm that wasn't quite up to snuff and inferior suspension. sign me up.

steve shaw's picture
Submitted by steve shaw (not verified) on June 2, 2006 - 9:37pm

does the new $99,000 include floor matts?

Sal Ricardo's picture
Submitted by Sal Ricardo (not verified) on June 5, 2006 - 12:15pm

This was amazing. $90k, $99k what's the difference. I never heard anything that comes remotely close to this system.

Michael Fremer's picture
Submitted by Michael Fremer (not verified) on June 10, 2006 - 4:51pm

When you hear it, you understand. It's not subtle. I'm sorry weldenplate is so cynical. I guess after his post Wes corrected his original one to reflect that neither the arm nor the suspension were changed. The improvements have been strictly cosmetic. I brought Audioquest's Joe Harley in so he could listen to the new Groove Note Anthony Wilson LP (with Diana Krall) that he produced. Um, I think he knows the music and the recording and he's been playing the LP for quite some time as you might imagine. When he heard it on the Caliburn, he understood immediately what it does. He also heard it on CD-Rs I played for him and some others in the Audio Research/Vandersteen room. I'm sorry it costs so much but it is that good....

Chris Sommovigo's picture
Submitted by Chris Sommovigo (not verified) on June 13, 2006 - 5:09pm

As we played a cut from the fabulous LP from John Heard & Co. (The Jazz Composer's Songbook - Straight Ahead Record, 103), someone commented to me that - for $100k - they could easily hire John Heard and Band to play at their home. Fair enough.But what of Miles Davis? John Coltrane? Charlie Mingus? Bill Evans? Cannonball Adderly? Hank Mobley? J.J. Johnson? Kenny Dorham? Dizzy Gillespie? Charlie Parker? Billie Holliday? Thelonious Monk? Sarah Vaughan? Ella Fitgerald? Carmen McRae? Earl Hines? Bud Powell? Sidney Bechet? Louis Armstrong? Gerry Mulligan? Eric Dolphy? Stan Getz? These folks just aren't gigging anymore ... unless you have the vinyl and a Continuum turntable with a suitable cartrdige.

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